Station #6: Satisfaction CONTEXT The Rolling Stones bill themselves as “The World’s Greatest Rock Band.” Formed in 1962, the band was infamous for the long hair of its members as much as their music. The band is identified with the youthful and rebellious counterculture of the 1960s. They made blues a major part of rock and roll, and popularized it worldwide.
The Rolling Stones are also notable in modern popular music for assimilating various musical genres into their own collective sound. Throughout the band’s career, their musical contributions have been marked by a continual reference and reliance on musical styles including blues, rhythm and blues, country, folk, reggae, dance, and world music.The group started out covering early rock and blues songs. They have never stopped playing live or recording.
At the height of their commercial peak, the band produced one of its biggest hits, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, which, ironically, makes an arguable statement about commercialism. Specifically, the lyrics outline the singer’s irritation with the increasing importance placed on consumption of the modern world. In its day, the song was perceived as “disturbing” because of both its sexual connotations and its negative view of commercialism as a dominating characteristic of modern culture. When the Rolling Stones performed on television in the late 1960s, the song, if included in the band’s set list, was often censored. Today, it is considered by some critics to be one of the all-time greatest rock songs ever recorded. In2006 it was added to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry.
Next, cue the song below. (To accommodate different computers, the song may be listened to in any one of the following three, separate file formats: AAC/iTunes, .MP3, or .WAV. If one doesn't play, try another!) As you listen, annotate the lyrics, making note of specific statements that strike you as having Marxist undertones.
AAC/iTunes File
.MP3 File
.WAV File
LYRICS: I can’t get no satisfaction. I can’t get no satisfaction. ‘Cause I try, and I try, and I try, and I try— I can’t get no! I can't get no! When I’m drivin’ in my car, And that man comes on the radio, And he’s tellin’ me more and more About some useless information Supposed to fire my imagination. I can’t get no—oh, no, no, no . . . Hey, hey, hey—that’s what I say.
I can’t get no satisfaction. I can’t get no satisfaction ‘Cause I try, and I try, and I try, and I try— I can’t get no! I can't get no! When I’m watchin’ my TV, And that man comes on to tell me How white my shirts can be, But he can’t be a man ‘cause he doesn’t smoke The same cigarettes as me. I can’t get no—oh, no, no, no . . . Hey, hey, hey—that’s what I say.
I can’t get no satisfaction. I can’t get no satisfaction. ‘Cause I try, and I try, and I try, and I try— I can’t get no! I can't get no! When I’m ridin’ ‘round the world, And I’m doin’ this, and I’m signin’ that, And I’m tryin’ to make some girl Who tells me, “Baby better come back later next week, Cause you see I’m on losing streak.” I can’t get no—oh, no, no, no . . . Hey, hey, hey—that’s what I say. I can’t get no, I can’t get no, I can’t get no, Satisfaction. No satisfaction . . . No satisfaction . . . No satisfaction. * * * * * Now take note of the still pictures below. Consider the meaning of these images.
Finally, engage in a small-group discussion. Each member of the group must contribute to the process by fulfilling an assigned role. Then, in a thoughtful, “MEL-style” short essay response, answer this question:
What specific information should a Marxist critic consider in an analysis of this text? Using that information as evidence, what meaning can we make of this text, using Marxist tenets as our “lenses”?
CONTEXT
The Rolling Stones bill themselves as “The World’s Greatest Rock Band.” Formed in 1962, the band was infamous for the long hair of its members as much as their music. The band is identified with the youthful and rebellious counterculture of the 1960s. They made blues a major part of rock and roll, and popularized it worldwide.
The Rolling Stones are also notable in modern popular music for assimilating various musical genres into their own collective sound. Throughout the band’s career, their musical contributions have been marked by a continual reference and reliance on musical styles including blues, rhythm and blues, country, folk, reggae, dance, and world music.The group started out covering early rock and blues songs. They have never stopped playing live or recording.
At the height of their commercial peak, the band produced one of its biggest hits, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, which, ironically, makes an arguable statement about commercialism. Specifically, the lyrics outline the singer’s irritation with the increasing importance placed on consumption of the modern world. In its day, the song was perceived as “disturbing” because of both its sexual connotations and its negative view of commercialism as a dominating characteristic of modern culture. When the Rolling Stones performed on television in the late 1960s, the song, if included in the band’s set list, was often censored. Today, it is considered by some critics to be one of the all-time greatest rock songs ever recorded. In2006 it was added to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry.
Next, cue the song below. (To accommodate different computers, the song may be listened to in any one of the following three, separate file formats: AAC/iTunes, .MP3, or .WAV. If one doesn't play, try another!) As you listen, annotate the lyrics, making note of specific statements that strike you as having Marxist undertones.
AAC/iTunes File
.MP3 File
.WAV File
LYRICS:
I can’t get no satisfaction.
I can’t get no satisfaction.
‘Cause I try, and I try, and I try, and I try—
I can’t get no! I can't get no!
When I’m drivin’ in my car,
And that man comes on the radio,
And he’s tellin’ me more and more
About some useless information
Supposed to fire my imagination.
I can’t get no—oh, no, no, no . . .
Hey, hey, hey—that’s what I say.
I can’t get no satisfaction.
I can’t get no satisfaction
‘Cause I try, and I try, and I try, and I try—
I can’t get no! I can't get no!
When I’m watchin’ my TV,
And that man comes on to tell me
How white my shirts can be,
But he can’t be a man ‘cause he doesn’t smoke
The same cigarettes as me.
I can’t get no—oh, no, no, no . . .
Hey, hey, hey—that’s what I say.
I can’t get no satisfaction.
I can’t get no satisfaction.
‘Cause I try, and I try, and I try, and I try—
I can’t get no! I can't get no!
When I’m ridin’ ‘round the world,
And I’m doin’ this, and I’m signin’ that,
And I’m tryin’ to make some girl
Who tells me, “Baby better come back later next week,
Cause you see I’m on losing streak.”
I can’t get no—oh, no, no, no . . .
Hey, hey, hey—that’s what I say.
I can’t get no, I can’t get no, I can’t get no,
Satisfaction.
No satisfaction . . . No satisfaction . . . No satisfaction.
* * * * *
Now take note of the still pictures below. Consider the meaning of these images.
Finally, engage in a small-group discussion. Each member of the group must contribute to the process by fulfilling an assigned role. Then, in a thoughtful, “MEL-style” short essay response, answer this question:
What specific information should a Marxist critic consider in an analysis of this text? Using that information as evidence, what meaning can we make of this text, using Marxist tenets as our “lenses”?